Samsung not compensating those with Note 7 fire-damaged property

Wesley HartzogAlthough Samsung has been given a few pats on the back for the way it’s handling the mass recall of more than 2.5 million potentially dangerous Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, it isn’t going so far as to compensate everyone adversely affected. In some cases where an overheating Note 7 has caused damage to a person’s home, some reports suggest Samsung isn’t paying up.

The curious case of Samsung’s Note 7 device should be rather well known by now, but in a nutshell it involved a smartphone design that permitted overheating to the point of combusting or exploding, in around 100 cases of the 2.5 million or so issued. This often occurred even after the phones were replaced with a supposedly safe alternative, and some incidents resulted in damage to homes or vehicles.

It’s in those latter cases where something other than the phone was damaged that Samsung is purportedly not being quite so generous. The Guardian cites three cases where those with homes damaged by their toasty handset have been given the cold shoulder by the Korean manufacturer.

In one case involving a man who’s bedroom was damaged by fire, smoke and “chemicals,” the damage is estimated at $9,000. So far, Samsung’s best offer for recompense has been to offer a depreciated value for the affected items.

In another case, a firefighter from South Carolina believes his Note 7 was responsible for a portion of his house burning down. His garage was completely destroyed by a blaze that started overnight. The fire also caused extensive damage to his vehicles, much of the home’s electrical wiring, a water heater, and some priceless family heirlooms.

Although admittedly it has not been confirmed that the Note 7 was responsible, a Samsung employee initially said that they would move him into a hotel and pay for his meals. However, Samsung Fire and Marine, the insurance firm for the company, later said it wouldn’t foot that bill. The man is still negotiating with Samsung, having first contacted them several weeks ago.

In the final case, a man from Richmond, Virginia, who claims his nightstand was damaged by a burning Note 7, has only had messages from Samsung indicating that the company is interested in retrieving the phone. As in the aforementioned cases, he is keen to hold on to the device until Samsung agrees to compensate him for the damage.

In each of these instances the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been contacted and it is conducting its own investigation into the Samsung Note 7 debacle. While it continues looking in to the matter, the CPSC has urged all customers to hand in their Note 7 to guarantee that they do no further harm to the owners or others.

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